View source for German Airways

{{Short description|Former German regional airline headquartered in Cologne}}
{{for|the airline formerly called WDL Aviation and also operating as German Airways|German Regional Airlines}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = German Airways
| logo = German Airways Logo.svg
| logo_size = 125
| image = Hannover Airport German Airways Embraer ERJ-190LR D-AWSI (DSC07674).jpg
| caption = A German Airways [[Embraer E190]] at [[Hannover-Langenhagen Airport]]
| fleet_size = 8
| destinations = 
| IATA = ZQ
| ICAO = GER
| callsign = GERMAN EAGLE
| parent = Zeitfracht Group
| company_slogan = 
| founded = 1980
| ceased = 21 April 2020<ref name=centre>https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airlines/lgw-luftfahrtgesellschaft-walter-he {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref>
| headquarters = [[Cologne]], [[Germany]]
| key_people = 
| bases = 
| secondary_hubs = 
| focus_cities = 
| frequent_flyer = 
| lounge = 
| alliance = 
| website = [https://germanairways.com/en/ germanairways.com]
| aoc = 
| hubs = 
| num_employees = 
}}

'''German Airways Fluggesellschaft [[Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung|GmbH]]''',<ref name="zeitfrachtrebrand"/> operating as '''German Airways'''<ref name="zeitfrachtrebrand"/> and formerly named ''Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter'' or ''LGW'' for short, was<ref name=centre/> a German [[regional airline]] headquartered in [[Cologne]].

Originally LGW was an independent provider of scheduled and chartered low-volume passenger flights. After years of cooperation with [[Air Berlin]], it eventually became a subsidiary of Air Berlin in 2017. After the collapse of Air Berlin it was purchased by [[Lufthansa]] in October 2017 and became a unit of the group's low-cost carrier [[Eurowings]]. Zeitfracht Group completed the purchase of LGW from Lufthansa on 1 April 2019 and renamed it in early 2020.<ref name="zeitfrachtrebrand"/> The contract with [[Eurowings]] was terminated in April 2020 and LGW filed for insolvency.<ref name="insolvency"/> 

Its former sister company [[German Regional Airlines]] continues to operate using the German Airways brand.

==History==
[[File:Walter_-_DORNIER_228_(2410926999).jpg|thumb|An LGW [[Dornier 228]] in 2004]]
[[File:2011-05-01_15-34-12_Switzerland_Kanton_Zürich_Zürich_International_Airport.jpg|thumb|right|An LGW [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8|De Havilland Dash 8-400]] operated for [[Air Berlin]] in 2011]]

===Independent company===
Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter was founded in 1980 by Bernd Walter, the owner of a flying school at [[Dortmund Airport]].<ref name="atdb">[http://aerotransport.org Information about Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter at the Aero Transport Data Bank]</ref> Initially, LGW offered on-demand charter and [[air taxi]] services.<ref name="atdb"/> During the 1990s, the airline grew a network of scheduled domestic flights.<ref name="tt">[http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/he1.htm LGW timetable front covers, at timetableimages.com]</ref> At that time, it had 25 employees and the [[Dornier 228]], with its capacity of 19 passengers, was the largest airliner in its fleet.<ref name=fg99.2>{{cite journal|title=World Airline Directory|journal=[[Flightglobal]]|date=24 March 1999|page=86|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1999/1999%20-%200666.html|access-date=7 May 2013}}</ref>

===Partnership with Air Berlin===
In 2007, LGW entered into a partnership with [[Air Berlin]], which at the time was the second largest German airline. Effective 12 October of that year, LGW flights to [[Düsseldorf Airport]] and [[Berlin Tegel Airport]] were sold via the Air Berlin booking engine.<ref>{{cite web|title=Air Berlin kooperiert mit LGW Walter|url=http://www.airliners.de/air-berlin-kooperiert-mit-lgw-walter/13309|publisher=airliners.de|date=11 October 2007|access-date=7 May 2013}}</ref> In 2008, Air Berlin added the [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8|De Havilland Dash 8-400]] to its fleet. The ten aircraft of that type were [[aircraft lease|leased]] to LGW<ref name=ab>{{cite web|title=Air Berlin setzt erste Q400 ein.|url=http://www.airberlingroup.com/de/presse/pressemitteilungen/archiv/2008/11/2008-11-07-Air-Berlin-setzt-erste-Q400-ein|publisher=[[Air Berlin]]|access-date=7 May 2013|date=7 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016155213/http://www.airberlingroup.com/de/presse/pressemitteilungen/archiv/2008/11/2008-11-07-Air-Berlin-setzt-erste-Q400-ein|archive-date=16 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> and operated on regional routes.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

Subsequently, LGW discontinued its independent corporate identity. It no longer offered any chartered services, but operated scheduled flights on behalf of Air Berlin, using Air Berlin flight numbers and branding.<ref name="spon2012">{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/dumpingloehne-im-cockpit-von-air-berlin-a-874150.html|title=Air Berlin: Hungerlohn im Cockpit|last=Friedrich|first=Tina|date=21 December 2012|publisher=[[Spiegel Online]]|access-date=7 May 2013}}</ref> The website ''lgw.de'' was shut down and replaced with a redirect to ''airberlin.com''. On 2 March 2009, Air Berlin notified the [[Federal Cartel Office]] that it would become the controlling shareholder of LGW.<ref name=fusion>{{cite web|title=Angemeldete Fusionen: Air Berlin / Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter (Kontrollerwerb)|url=http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2009-03/13257522-angemeldete-fusionen-air-berlin-luftfahrtgesellschaft-walter-kontrollerwerb-019.htm |publisher=[[Federal Cartel Office]]|date=3 March 2009|access-date=7 May 2013}}</ref>

As LGW staff did not have a [[collective agreement]], salaries were considerably lower than at Air Berlin.<ref name=spon2012/> To cut costs, Air Berlin transferred a large number of its staff to LGW (especially those whose fixed-term contracts had expired). By the end of 2011, LGW had 110 employees. By early 2013, they had grown to 480.<ref name=np2013>{{cite news|last=Busche|first=Dirk|title=Kostendruck: Air Berlin wird zur Spardose|url=http://www.neuepresse.de/Nachrichten/Wirtschaft/Uebersicht/Kostendruck-Air-Berlin-wird-zur-Spardose|access-date=7 May 2013|newspaper=Neue Presse|date=30 January 2013|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107004127/http://www.neuepresse.de/Nachrichten/Wirtschaft/Uebersicht/Kostendruck-Air-Berlin-wird-zur-Spardose|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since that year, LGW also employed [[jet airliner|jet pilots]], as a number of [[Embraer 190]] aircraft were transferred to the airline from [[Niki (airline)|Niki]] (another Air Berlin subsidiary),<ref>{{cite web|title=airberlin will offenbar auch Jets über LGW bereedern|url=http://www.flugrevue.de/de/luftfahrt/airlines/airberlin-will-offenbar-auch-jets-ueber-lgw-bereedern.105086.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616113005/http://www.flugrevue.de/de/luftfahrt/airlines/airberlin-will-offenbar-auch-jets-ueber-lgw-bereedern.105086.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 16, 2013|publisher=Flug Revue|access-date=7 May 2013|date=11 December 2012}}</ref> the first of which arrived on 14 March and left the fleet in November 2013.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

By spring 2015, LGW increased their fleet of [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8|De Havilland Dash 8-400]]s from 12 to 17.<ref name="ch-av">[http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/airline/HE LGW ch-aviation.com - Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter] retrieved 22 November 2015</ref>

In May 2017, Air Berlin announced plans to buy Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter outright, having held a controlling stake since 2009.<ref>[http://www.austrianaviation.net/detail/air-berlin-uebernimmt-luftfahrtgesellschaft-walter/ austrianaviation.net - "Air Berlin takes over Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter"] (German) 25 May 2017)</ref>

===Sale to Lufthansa===
[[Lufthansa]] bought LGW in 2017 as part of Air Berlin's bankruptcy proceedings.<ref name="LHtakeover">[http://www.austrianaviation.net/detail/niki-wird-mit-jahreswechsel-geschichte-sein/ austrianaviation.net - "Niki to be history by year's end"] (German) 25 October 2017</ref> After Air Berlin ceased operations on 27 October 2017, LGW started [[wetlease]] operations for [[Eurowings]], taking over parts of the wetlease agreement previously provided by its parent for the Lufthansa subsidiary. In addition to its existing fleet of Dash 8-Q400 aircraft, it received 13 [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-family]] aircraft<ref name=":0" /> and started hiring crews in November 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://career.lgw.de/|title=Careers|work=Career|access-date=2017-12-27|language=de-DE|archive-date=2017-12-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227124244/http://career.lgw.de/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The acquisition was closed in January 2018 after receiving approval from the [[European Commission]] on 21 December 2017.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/english/press-releases/european-commission-approves-the-lufthansa-group-s-acquisition-of-luftfahrtgesellschaft-walter/s/69132e6a-343e-4e41-9035-e107a6eecf6c|title=European Commission approves the Lufthansa Group's acquisition of Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter|date=2017-12-21|work=Lufthansa Group {{!}} Newsroom|access-date=2017-12-27|language=en}}</ref>

In late 2018, all LGW [[Airbus A320 family]] aircraft were moved to other companies within the Eurowings network.<ref name="austrianaviationnet">http://www.austrianaviation.net/detail/lgw-beendet-das-jetzeitalter-erneut/ austrianaviation.net - "LGW again ends the jetage" | date= 8 January 2019</ref>

===Sale to Zeitfracht Group and rebranding===
[[File:Hannover Airport German Airways Embraer ERJ-190LR D-AWSI (DSC07693).jpg|thumb|German Airways [[Embraer 190]]]]
In January 2019, it was reported that Lufthansa planned to sell LGW to ''Zeitfracht'', which already owns German ACMI and charter airline German Airways (formerly branded WDL Aviation).<ref>[https://www.aero.de/news-30844/Eurowings-loest-LGW-auf.html aero.de - "Lufthansa prepares LGW sale"] (German) 30 January 2019</ref> Zeitfracht had already purchased parts of Air Berlin's maintenance division.  The deal was completed on 1 April 2019, following the approval of supervisory authorities and the fulfillment of customary conditions. The takeover also marked the beginning of a longer-term lease agreement between LGW and Eurowings.<ref>[https://www.pressebox.de/pressemitteilung/zeitfracht-gmbh-co-kg/Zeitfracht-neuer-LGW-Eigentuemer-Reibungsloser-Uebergang-Flugbetrieb-ohne-Stoerungen/boxid/950198 pressebox.de - "Zeitfracht Holding New LGW Owner - Smooth Transition - Flight Operation Without Disturbances"] (German) 1 April 2019)</ref>

In May 2019, LGW announced it would replace all of its [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8|De Havilland Dash 8-400]]s with newer [[Embraer 190]]s from late 2019. These aircraft will be operated for [[Eurowings]] as part of a long-term lease.

In March 2020, Zeitfracht announced a rebranding for LGW which became ''German Airways'' operating within the ''German Airways'' branding alongside sister company [[WDL Aviation]].<ref name="zeitfrachtrebrand">[https://www.airliners.de/lgw-wdl-namen/54156 airliners.de - "LGW and WDL get new names"] (German) 11 March 2020</ref> In April 2020, the company filed for [[insolvency]] with plans to restructure due to the cancellation of [[Eurowings]]' wetlease contract for their entire [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 400|Bombardier DHC-8-400]] fleet in the wake of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="insolvency">[https://www.airliners.de/luftfahrtgesellschaft-walter-insolvenz/54952 airliners.de - "Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter files for insolvency"] (German) 22 April 2020</ref>

==Destinations==
As of January 2019, German Airways operated European routes on behalf of [[Eurowings]] with a focus on [[Düsseldorf Airport]], where most aircraft were based. This contract was terminated in April 2020.<ref name="insolvency"/>

==Fleet==
===Current fleet===
As of March 2020, the joint German Airways fleet consisted of the following aircraft<ref name="fleetofficial">[https://germanairways.com/fleet/embraer-e190/ germanairways.com - Fleet] retrieved 10 March 2020</ref>

{| class="wikitable" 
|- 
! rowspan="2" style="width:180px;" | Aircraft
! rowspan="2" style="width:80px;" | In Service
! rowspan="2" style="width:30px;" | Orders
! colspan="3" | Passengers
! rowspan="2" | Notes
|- 
! style="width:25px;" | <abbr title="Business">C</abbr>
! style="width:25px;" | <abbr title="Economy">Y</abbr>
! style="width:25px;" | Total
|-
|[[Embraer E-Jet family#E190|Embraer 190]]
|{{center|8}}
|{{center|0}}
|&mdash;
|100
|100
|Operated by [[German Regional Airlines]]
|-
!Total
!8
!0
! colspan="4" |
|}

===Historical fleet===
Previously, LGW operated the following aircraft types under its own brand or on behalf of other airlines:

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ '''LGW historical fleet'''
|- 
!Aircraft
!Introduced
!Phased-out
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A319-100]]
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|1=2018<ref name="austrianaviationnet"/>}}
|Operated for and returned to [[Eurowings]]<ref name="austrianaviationnet"/>
|-
|[[Airbus A320-200]]
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|1=2018<ref name="austrianaviationnet"/>}}
|Operated for and returned to [[Eurowings]]<ref name="austrianaviationnet"/>
|-
|[[Britten-Norman Islander]]
|
|{{center|1= 1999<ref name=fg99.1>{{cite news|publisher=[[aviator]]|date=24 May 2023|url=https://newsroom.aviator.aero/wet-lease-for-klm-committed-and-enduring-relationship-between-german-airways-and-klm-cityhopper-for-the-klm-routes/ |title=Wet-lease for KLM: Committed and enduring relationship between German Airways and KLM Cityhopper for the KLM routes }}</ref>}}
|
|-
|[[Cessna 404 Titan]]
|
|{{center|1= 1997<ref name=fg97>{{cite journal|title=World Airline Directory|journal=[[Flightglobal]]|date=26 March 1997|page=84}}</ref>}}
|
|-
|[[Dornier 228]]
|
|{{center| 2008}}
|
|-
|[[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 400|Bombardier DHC-8-400]]
|{{center| 2008}}
|{{center| 2020}}
|Operated for [[Air Berlin]] and Eurowings.
|-
|[[Embraer E-Jets#E-190 and 195|Embraer 190]]
|{{center|1= 2013{{Cn|date=February 2025}}}}
|{{center| 2013}}
|Taken over from and returned to [[Niki Luftfahrt|Niki]] on behalf of [[Air Berlin]]
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[List of defunct airlines of Germany]]
*[[German Regional Airlines]] (currently operating under the German Airways brand)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter}}
*{{official website}}

{{Portalbar|Germany|Aviation|Companies}}
{{Airlines of Germany}}
{{Lufthansa}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of Germany]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1980]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:1980 establishments in West Germany]]
[[Category:Companies based in North Rhine-Westphalia]]
[[Category:Companies based in Düsseldorf]]
[[Category:Lufthansa]]
[[Category:German companies disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:German companies established in 1980]]